My Formula 98 156 Ti

[gtv19]

Before maiden hit out at Mallala

[Neil Choi]

You showed yours, you can see mine, well, Damon's.
And the modifications I made.
I go sticker-less unless it is race tape.  Race tape doesn't makes you go faster and keeps the car together which is a good thing.

[Neil Choi]

And after 10 hr relay.  And was driven home, with a leaking radiator.

[aggie57]

What's with the Escort in the background Neil?  Did you scare him off the track 👻

[Mick A]

Brave taking a JTS on the track. Take plenty of oil!

[gtv19]

Thanks Mick, she is not using lots oil. I will keep your comments in mind. Ta.Nice to drive a bit quiet and soft after the spider and gtv but that is one of the trade offs. Exhaust is standard so far, maybe a necessary modification later. It is lovely to drive to and from in comfort (air con, cd, non R tyres etc.) I am getting soft!

Cheers, will keep you posted of developments when sprints season starts.

[alfagtv152]

Hi Guys,
me too!, Feb 21st round 1. Mine doesn't use lots of oil either and the ECU says it's done over 220,000K, goes like a rocket!.
Time will tell, I will be running the multi spoke GT wheel with Bridgestone RE 003 road tyres.
Cheers
Andrew

[alfagtv152]

Hi All,
Round 1 run and done,I ran practice and 2 rounds but the coolant tank split(good ol plastic) and the radiator (original) started to fall to pieces after going over the rumble strips but over all I thought the car performed pretty well given that it was 34 degrees on the day. Not sure about the EBC Yellow pads after running Hawk Black HP Plus for many years they have a hard act to follow,thought the Bridgestone RE003's went well with a cold starting pressure of 30 psi,grip level and handling felt ok for a road car with iebach red springs and Koni adjustable shocks. Our formula 98 is for pretty stock vehicles, you can change the exhaust from the cat back,air cleaner,pads,standard or eibach red springs and shockers are free but must be standard type strut. Wheels and tyres are limited to standard or option sizes and widths with road tyres.
I consistantly achieved low 1:34 second laps in all three sessions.
New coolant tank,new radiator and ready for round 2 in June!?.
Cheers
Andrew

[kiwirgv]

Looks awesome fun - wish we had formula 98 in QLD.

What else have you had to do to the cars to have them track-ready?

[alfagtv152]

Hi Kiwirgv,
I guess it depends on your Qld copetition rules if they adopt it but in SA we kept the rules pretty tight so you couldn't win it with a cheque book. It just needs to be road worthy and sound,but some small variations are allowed but are limited to-
Air cleaner free. Exhaust from cat back free(want good sound),brake pads free,shockers free as long as they are the normal leg insert type,wheels and tyres must be, road tyres (not R), original option sizes and diameters as listed on the plackard,seat and seat belt free.the rules end withthe statement "Anything not listed as allowed is not" just to be clear!.
And of course eligible cars are 2L front wheel drive 1998 0n,anything Turbo'd would have the x1.7 rule applied to the capacity so it doesn't qualify.
Cheers
Andrew

[Neil Choi]

Well, we had our bog standard Formula 98 156 TS (with sagged driver's seat, absolutely no support) at Winton, double entered, did about 10-12 sessions, drove to Winton and back home and survived the outing.  Did reasonable times.  Checked oil and water.  Soft suspension, wouldn't turn, wouldn't stop.  But balls of fun.  Started day with full tank, only used a bit more than half tank.
Another 156 TS was there too, same, similar laptimes.  Again balls of fun.
For what they are and how they perform, pretty good value.
Get into one.

[bazzbazz]

Looks like I'll have to put this in the Aroca QLD suggestion box . . . . wonder what reaction i'll get when I take a Sportwagon onto the track?   

Baz

[alfamisa]

Looks like I'll have to put this in the Aroca QLD suggestion box . . . . wonder what reaction i'll get when I take a Sportwagon onto the track?   

Baz

Most likely surprise, laughter, then wtf...
Remember uncle Tom running the Volvo estates in BTCC;

For those that don't remember the story;
http://www.speedhunters.com/2015/05/throwing-a-volvo-brick-through-the-btccs-window/

PS Maybe in the end other Alfisti may feel envy that you can bring more stuff to the track in your Sportswagon

[colcol]

No one really expected a station wagon to do any good, so if it failed to deliver, well it was a station wagon, so it was run and developed, with low expectations, what killed Volvo running in the Super Tourers, was Ford taking over an ailing Volvo car company, and not wanting to fund another car up against the Ford Mondeo running in the same Super Tourer category.
I remember about that time, i was at the Melbourne Rob Roy hillclimb and a couple of compeditors entered a bog standard Volvo wagon to run in the hillclimb, the car was in front of the good old 33, and the entertainment factor was worth the price of entry, when the MG scrutineers, said you can't run a station wagon, but the entrants claimed you could, cause there was one running in the British Super Tourers, almost Lawyers at 60 paces.
The late Peter Brock drove a Volvo in the local Super Tourers, as he was a Tom Walkinshaw contracted driver in the V8 Supercar series, its hard to beleive, he has been gone nearly 10 years now, Colin.

[poohbah]

I was watching the latest round of the BTCC last night, and Subaru has just entered running two Levorg wagons (one driven by Jason Plato of Fifth Gear fame.) They ran 1 and 3 in the very first race.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport-btcc/sam-tordoff-leads-british-touring-car-championship-after-oulton-park